The Muse: Teacher's Pet

 So in linking up with Tara over at Mix and Match Fashion today I feel like I should make a confession. Even though it says I wore this to work, I really didn't, because, well its school vacation week. Teachers who show up at school during school vacation week usually get looked at pretty strange. But since I wasn't actually teaching, I did the next best thing and went with a school inspired outfit. I also did something I almost never do, wore a whole out fit (except for shoes and purse) from one place. I've been hearing great things about Chic 2 Chic a consignment shop in Foxborough, MA for some time now, and with time on my hands this week I finally checked it out. For a consignment shop its huge, so budget your time is you stop by. It was very busy because they were doing a brisk prom dress trade (if you live in RI or Southeastern Mass. and have a daughter going to prom they're prices are fantastic, and they're all on sale right now). Overall it was a favorable first impression and I would definitely stop by again. My only complaint was that there were all very young girls working there (15-16) clearly off for the week, if there was an adult I didn't see one or maybe they were older than they looked it just made me uncomfortable to be in such a busy store with no one older supervising. Maybe its the teacher in me but I don't like the idea of kids having to deal with any kind of emergency situation on their own.

Blazer: Ralph Lauren thrifted via Chic 2 Chic
Blouse: Buttons, thrifted via Chic 2 Chic
Trousers: Liz (Claiborne) Golf thrifted via Chic 2 Chic
Necklace: vintage locket
Shoes: Bandolino via DSW
Headband: Chic 2 Chic
Purse: vintage, no label, thrifted via Abby's House

The Muse: Genevieve

Looking at her hair you can really see how striking this would be with purple, I actually don't know Genevieve that well, I just work with her. Hopefully its no too weird she was my muse!

 

The other day I went to speak with my coworker Genevieve about something and she had this royal purple sweater on with a purple patterned skirt. It stopped me in my tracks because the contrast between her red hair and the rich royal purple was just so strinking. I complemented her on the outfit and she thanked me, but for me the fashion moment just wasn't over. I don't have real red hair, I have auburn hair that comes out of a bottle. Its odd, many times in my life I've had people hesitate when asked about my hair color. I was born blonde, very blonde. When I was little I looked like Shirley Temple. Then my hair turned really dull stick brown as I got older. In high school I started putting in blonde hilights (because really in high school who didn't, I feel like it might have been nessecary to get a diploma where I went to school. Then I decided I wanted brown hair again, really dark brown, though I got tired of that pretty quick. For the past several years I've been mixing red in, but lets be honest I'm still not a real read head. Dyed red hair just doesn't have the richness that the real thing has. I included a picture of Genevieve so you can see how striking that color purple would be on a true red head. Regardless, at the end of the day I stopped by Twice the Diva, one of the local consignment shops and while I was waiting to talk to the owner I saw this skirt, and being in the purple haze that I was, I had to have it. Red hair or not.

Sweater: B'leev via T.J. Maxx
Blouse: Worhtington via J.C. Penny
Skirt: via Twice the Diva
Bracelet: vintage, via Vintage Haven
Shoes: Nine West
Purse; vintage, no label, via Abby's House
Coat: Kardashian Collection, gift

The Muse: Genetic Drift

 Developing your own sense of fashion is not linear, in fact in my experience it has been anything but. In some cases you take big leaps forward, taking bold chances and recreating your image, starting with a clean slate. In others you wander back to thinks you had forgotten or believed you no longer like. Best of all sometimes you can combine the experience and successfully marry the two, literally experiencing the best of both worlds. This outfit felt a little like that. The weather has warmed up sufficiently to go out sans overcoat, however the mornings are still nippy enough to require stockings. I was so proud of these stockings when I bought them last year on sale, my mother took one look at me and said, "they look exactly like the tights you had to wear with your uniform in school." And they do. Remembering now how much I hated those tights (which were much poorer quality, and dyed with a foul smelling dye that stunk up anything unfortunate enough to share a washing machine with them) it seems crazy that I would enjoy these so much. If that's not regression for you I don't know what is, you can take the girl out of the Catholic school but.... As for the rest I think I've branched out and become bolder, I never would have worn a skirt this short, but learning how to work it is all part of the process. Also I like to think that so many of the rules that people set to fit fashion have gone by the wayside, like wearing open toed shoes with tights. I was doing a biology study guide with a student today and explaining genetic drift, how sometimes evolution occurs without natural selection, an natural differences in allele frequency can spontaneously manifest because of a small population or other environmental factors. I think fashion is a little like that. Seldom is it natural selection, its not just survival of the fittest in our wardrobes, the strong survive and the weak get weeded out. Its more like genetic drift, just when you think you know how your style will develop, unexpected anomalies can lead to unexpected surprises.

Sweater: no label, via Walmart (old)

Dress: Pins and Needles via Urban Outfitters

Stockings: Target

Necklace: Anthropologie (still available here!)

Bracelet: J.C. Penny

Ring: vintage, my grandmother's

Shoes: Predictions thrifted via Salvation Army Family Store

Purse: antique camera case

The Muse: Close Call

I sort of pride myself on the utter uniqueness of my outfits, in all my clothing in fact. Its a rare day that I wear even a single item that I've seen on someone else. In many cases its because I've either thrifted a piece of because its vintage, in others its just that I tend to have a bit different taste than most. Today this came to mine because one of my students, Dave said to me as I walked by, "Phew Miss Clappin, that was a close call."
"What was a close call Dave?" I asked. "Well you see I almost wore that exact same outfit this morning, but really that's more of a Thursday look for me." Given that Dave is 6' 4" and weights about 260, this seems unlikely. Though he was really just being a smart ass and poking fun at my clothes (I admit I can be a little much for some people who prefer the safer, more mundane looks) it caught me so off guard that I couldn't help but laugh. In reality it didn't even occur to me that my outfit was anything unusual, in fact I thought the colors all coordinated rather nicely, though in retrospect perhaps four different patterns even in the same color family is a lot. Close call indeed.

 

Wrap: brand??? via Target

Dress: Leifnotes via Anthropologie

Stockings: no brand, via Building 19

Shoes: Bandolino via DSW

Purse: Monsoon (UK)

The Muse: Double the Fun

It may just be that its spring, but it seems like everyone is wearing double floral prints this week. And why not? 'Tis the season. I must confess I've only ever worn this dress with solid colored cardigan  before and I actually like the floral cardigan better. At the very least I had just about every color of the rainbow covered! 

On another note a special shout-out to my coworker Laurie Blake, who is home sick. Blakey, as she is affectionately known, is one of our English department queens and never fails to make me laugh when she calls on the phone. Everyone is missing her, but I was glad to find out she's keeping up with what I'm wearing from home. 

We miss you Blakey!

 Sweater: Merona thrifted via Salvation Army Family Store
Dress: American Living via J.C. Penny
Earrings: vintage, gift from my grandmother
Shoes: Nine West via DSW
Purse: DeDe via Anthropologie